Sunday, February 10, 2008

Silence

Have you ever heard silence? The statement does sound absurd, but, just for a moment, pause and think again. Have you ever heard silence? Any moment in your life when you were actually aware that there is no sound. No sound of wind, or of traffic. No dogs barking. No one sneezing or coughing. No one breathing. Nothing. Just dead silence.

It might sound scary. But believe me, few weeks ago, i had the opportunity of experiencing this moment. I drove back from a wedding. Parked my car. Turned off all the lights. Put on the hand brake and just sat for a moment to take a deep breath. And i suddenly became aware of the silence around. I held my breath for a moment and closed my eyes. Believe me, it was heaven. Nothing to hear.

It is a feeling that cannot be explained. It felt like a huge void. Physical emptiness beyond imagination. I felt so light, so completely lost in the void.

Our lives are so busy. We start our day with the alarm clock screaming. And then the sound of brushing our teeth. The sound of water while bathing. The sound of footsteps. The sound of vehicles while driving. The sound of people talking. The tap-tap of keys on your computer while working. The sound of vehicles while driving back. And the sound of eating food. The sound of bed sheet while you cover yourself during sleep. And finally the sound of breathing and rustling till you doze off.

It reminds me of my college days, when i used to be up till 3 in the morning studying. And before going to sleep, i would go to the balcony and stare into the black night. But i would hear the wind then and ofcourse the night watchman moving around.

Maybe, we should be having earlids in addition to eyelids. But maybe then, we might not realize or value the peace that "complete silence" gives.